On March 29,2024, the annual LOTUS DAY arrives as scheduled! This year, Lotus invites users to gather at the Zhejiang International Racing Circuit, deeply participating in co-creation, experiencing the brilliant track activities, and liberating their passion for driving. They experience the signatory track culture of Lotus in a context-sensitive manner and appreciate a full-scale, boundless lifestyle. The Group CEO of Lotus, Mr. Feng Qingfeng, and the President of Lotus China, Ms. Mao Jingbo, make a grand appearance and meet the users on the track to carry out the signatory track handover ceremony of Lotus. The Vice President of the Lotus Group and head of Lotus Life’s global business, Mr. Yao Yingjia, and the owner’s representative are making their appearance on riding bikes to explore the future lifestyle of “4+2=∞”.
Lotus Day hosts a star-studded guest list, Clive Chapman and Jane Payton, members of the founder’s family of Lotus, and William Taylor, a member of Team LOTUS, who traveled a long distance to be here. The beloved F1 champion Jenson Button makes yet another personal appearance as a close friend of the brand and drives the EVIJA Fittipaldi limited edition for the first time in China, and alongside champion driver Luo Kai shares driving passions face to face with Chinese users. When the Lotus signature “Champion Yellow” blooms at the Zhejiang International Racing Circuit, users drive their beloved cars whizzing along the track. Brand fans witness the spectacle via LOTUS MOMENT live-streaming. This day belongs to all Lotus owners, users, and brand fans. It’s a true awakening of driving instincts!
LOTUS DAY not just a user carnival – EVIJA Fittipaldi limited edition makes its China debut
76 years ago, Lotus was born on the race track. There is no place better suited to host the Lotus user carnival. Today, last year, Lotus inaugurated the user carnival at the Shanghai International Racing Circuit, opening the prelude to the brand’s 75th-anniversary global celebration. The classic car track parade, the inaugural Lotus ELETRE track delivery, and Jenson Button’s surprise appearance spark the atmosphere time and time again, culminating in the users’ “Sleepless Night”.
The Zhejiang race is of great significance to Lotus. Here, Lotus ELETRE R+ was crowned the “Fastest SUV”, and the EMEYA Blooming Flowers broke the record of the “Fastest Mass Production Electric Car” and the “Fastest Four-Door Saloon”, keeping with the race’s promise: “Only speed in the bend is real speed.” This year’s LOTUS DAY continues to live up to the “Ultimate Driving” theme. Beyond the adrenaline-pumping race experience, it also explores unlimited possibilities of lifestyle through multi-scene immersive experience and brand linkage, aiming to create a “Chinese Goodwood Festival of Speed.”
On LOTUS DAY, nothing was more thrilling than personally watching F1 champion driver Jenson Button, the owner of the “fastest mass-produced pure electric supercar” EVIJA, take the wheel of the EVIJA Fittipaldi limited edition for its highly anticipated China debut. With its exceptional performance of 2039 horsepower and 1704 Nm of torque, the EVIJA can accelerate from 0 to 300 km/h in just 9 seconds, earning it the well-deserved title of “Speed Pioneer” in the era of intelligent electric mobility. The EVIJA, with its distinctive Venturi air duct and 16 aerodynamic components, features a unique porosity design language that can generate a downforce of 1800 kg even at extreme speeds of 350 km/h, manifesting LOTUS’s pioneering role in aerodynamics. When the EVIJA Fittipaldi limited edition swiftly conquers the 16 turns of the Zhejiang circuit and crosses the finish line, it delivers a powerful aura reminiscent of LOTUS’s “F1 Black Gold Dynasty” in this new era.
At the carnival, a reenactment of a classic scene with an airplane and the EVIJA commemorates LOTUS’s history, but it also represents the brand’s boundless aspirations for the future. Also featured alongside the EVIJA is the LOTUS TYPE 66 race car which, after making its debut in New York last year, is having its China premiere to the delight of many enthusiasts. The TYPE 66 is a legendary racer that was supposed to be launched in the 60s but was delayed, leaving only blueprints. However, with the aid of modern engineering capabilities, it has morphed from a dream into reality, embodying both heritage and innovation. Its performance can compete with modern GT3 group cars, demonstrating its regal dominance. On-site, a plethora of classic Lotus models assembled, with the ELETRE, EMIRA, and EMEYA taking center stage, showcasing the brand’s unchanging track DNA and championship beliefs.
For lotus enthusiasts who love the racetrack, this is the moment of fulfilling dreams! LOTUS delivers a meticulously crafted “Wind Challenge,” where customers can drive the EMEYA on the East Track to experience the thrill of “low altitude flying”. They can similarly navigate the winding tracks of the West Track with the ELETRE. They can even challenge themselves on the full track, in pursuit of the perfect harmony of “Man-Machine Unity.” During the Champion Masterclass, Jenson Button and Romain Grosjean interact directly with customers. The Champion’s HOT LAP is led by both champion drivers in the EMIRA GT4, with the LOTUS certified instructor team driving the EMEYA, letting lucky customers experience “Speed and Passion” to its fullest. LOTUS DAY is not merely a racetrack carnival for customers, but also a heartwarmer of an automobile culture extravaganza.
Driver to Driver, a mutual dedication between the brand and customers
Rewinding to the past, LOTUS’s founder, Colin Chapman, was an undoubted Driver. Ever since he constructed the MARK I by hand and established the brand, he has been continually pushing limits of speed, rewriting history with his avant-garde “F1 kit” and leading LOTUS to 7 F1 team annual championships, 6 F1 driver annual championships, and 81 F1 sub-station championships. From tracks to roads to lifeways, LOTUS has constructed a series of classic models that are recorded in history and are the focus of car enthusiasts globally. However, past championship honors alone are not sufficient to define LOTUS – echoing Mr.Chapman’s famous quote, “Everything we do is to return to the pure joy of driving”.
Transitioning from the fuel age to the smart electric age, the racetrack DNA of the LOTUS brand has never changed, reviving the joy of driving. At this LOTUS DAY event, nearly a thousand LOTUS owners and brand enthusiasts, driven by their passion for the brand and driving, made the journey from all over the country. The ranks are filled with dual car owners, three car owners, five car owners, and “4+2” car owners. The sight of diverse LOTUS models lined up neatly to welcome every driver on site, elicits a deep resonance between the brand and the drivers, stirring emotions.
Driver to Driver, embodies the spirit of this LOTUS DAY. With Luo Kai driving the LOTUS EMYEA, Ms. Mao Jingbo, President of LOTUS China, and Mr. Clive Chapman are on stage for a candid chat. As Ms. Mao Jingbo says, “We believe that there will always be a group of people in the world who are born with a love for driving, and LOTUS exists solely for these ‘drivers’. There is only one Lotus in the world!”
Mr. Clive Chapman expressed his deep gratitude for returning to LOTUS DAY. He stated, “At this moment, seeing so many LOTUS models and Chinese users gathered together, I am both excited and moved. Today’s milestone is not only a review of the brilliant past of the LOTUS brand but also a look forward to the electric future.”
Continuing the tradition of last year’s LOTUS DAY, LOTUS brought the iconic racetrack delivery to its users. The owner representative can’t hide his excitement, gathering on the racetrack to welcome their dream cars. The owners stated, “Racetrack delivery, that’s very LOTUS.” Under the guidance of Mr. Feng Qingfeng, CEO of LOTUS Group, and Ms. Mao Jingbo, President of LOTUS China, the owners tossed their hats high into the sky, a signature gesture of Mr. Colin Chapman in celebration of his team’s victory, which expressed their emotions of the moment. Subsequently, led by Mr. Feng Qingfeng, Mr. Clive Chapman, Jenson Button, and Luo Kai, they took the owners on a track tour in new cars, experiencing the adrenaline-fueled passion truly epitomizing the essence of Driver to Driver.
VISION 80 is over halfway, and LOTUS awakens the driving instinct
As the first of the three major supercar brands to go All In for electrification and intelligence, on the occasion of its 70th anniversary, LOTUS presented the VISION 80 ten-year revival plan. Now it’s over halfway. The brand development is like the growth of a big tree. In the first five years, LOTUS sows seeds and grows downwards. Now, LOTUS has entered the second five-year phase. When the roots are deep enough, the brand will grow rapidly upward. This is a crucial time for LOTUS’s rapid development.In March, LOTUS Technology successfully listed on NASDAQ, emitting a powerful signal of its global development ambition. With global capital investing, LOTUS is confident to offer better products and technology to its users. The “3+3” product line keeps enriching, and with the debut of ELETRE and EMEYA, LOTUS has officially entered the market of daily use cars. In the future, LOTUS will continue manufacturing daily use cars with sportscar performance, electric and intelligent cars. LOTUS firmly believes that all technological breakthroughs are to empower driving. Coming this April, LOTUS will deliver a massive OTA update, providing driving hands-free “Parallel Driver” and high-level intelligent driving HNP highway navigation features in mass-production vehicles for users to experience.
Whether it’s the orderly progression of VISION 80, the launch of new models or the iteration of technologies, all reflect the mission of LOTUS brand For the Drivers. LOTUS Group CEO, Mr. Feng Qingfeng, said: “What LOTUS wants to create is not simply a transportation tool from point A to point B, or a racing beast crushing its competitors, but a dream chariot that can truly resonate with drivers and awaken their driving instincts!”
This time, LOTUS has a surprise for the users – they will get to experience the “Track Coach” feature. As the first all-encompassing, high-precision, cross-platform racing experience product introduced by LOTUS, “Track Coach” has a complete set of data from many global racing tracks and provides real-time data for users to better understand the vehicle status and track performance. After you finish racing, “Track Coach” will generate a comprehensive data curve chart, including professional data dimensions such as cornering line analysis, cornering heart distinction, and road shoulder differences, to help improve performance. The only separation between you and an F1 racer might be a “Track Coach!”
The legend of LOTUS does not stop at “four-wheel supercars,” it also exists in “two-wheel racing.” LOTUS DAY is a carnival for drivers and also a gala for cyclists. This event handed over the TYPE 136 to users. TYPE 136 is the first “two-wheel supercar” derived from the Olympic champion car, the world’s lightest, most potent bicycle bolstered by dual power. Users can effortlessly switch between TYPE 136’s electric-assisted mode and mechanical mode with a single press. Mr. Feng Qingfeng, along with user representatives, participated in the “4+2” performance race and experienced the “4+2 = ∞” lifestyle facing the future, exploring endless driving joy and infinite possibilities.
In the next two days, LOTUS will continue to invite users to participate in the track carnival, contributing to the grand occasion. Born on the track, LOTUS brand constantly harnesses the wind, not to please everyone but to embrace genuine drivers. We believe there are always independent, pursuit of extreme, and limit-free Drivers who inherently love driving and resonate profoundly with LOTUS. Together, we will gallop unrestrainedly, cruising into a new era with elegance. There is only one LOTUS in the world, which alone can awaken the instinct to drive!
This article is a translation by AI of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.